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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIoE.

LUOIEN GUSTAVE HEUSSCHEN, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

EXPLOSiVE COMPOUND;

SPEUIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,140, dated December 13, 1887, Application filed September 26, 1887. Serial No. 250,730. (No specimens.) Patented in England June 28, 1887, No. 9,202.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUOIEN GUSTAVE HEUs- SOHEN, of 23 Rue des Mathurins, Paris, in the Republic of France, civil engineer, have invented a new and Improved Explosive Compound, (for which I have obtained a patent-in Great Britain, No. 9,202, bearing date June 28, 1887,) of which the following-is a'full, clear, and exact description; v

This invention hasfor itsobject a new explosive which can be prepared, transported,

and handled without danger, and of which the explosive properties are not developed until the compound is closely confined, either in a blast-hole or other strong receptacle, and is under such conditions exposed to high temperature.

' The new cxplosive'ismade with coal-oil or naphthaline, and also glycerine, and these matters are mixed withnitrate of potash or soda, sulphuric acid, and sulphate of iron. Together with these materials I employ carbonaceous matter-as carbonized tan or sawdust-and also sulphur.

The purpose served bythe sulphur, carbon, and a portion of the nitrate of potash is to raise to the necessary temperature the other matters of the composition, and thereby to determine the production of nitro-benzine and nitro- 3 glycerine under conditions such that they im mediately explode.

The following proportions are suitable: Nitrate of potash, fil'ty-fivetoseventy-five parts sulphate of iron, (green vitriol,) two to five parts; sulphuric acid, (commercial,) two to five parts; coal-oil or naphthaline, two to ten parts; glycerine, two to ten parts; carbonaceous matter, ten to twenty parts; and sulphur, five to ten parts. 1

In making explosives according to the formula given above it will be found that if the proportions taken be those indicated by the smaller figures the action of the explosive, though powerful, will be comparatively slow, as with gunpowder, whereas if the proportions be-those indicated by the larger figures the actioh of the explosive will be more rapid and will more nearly approach to the behavior of nitro-glycerine, and will be found even more effective weight for weight.

I prefer to bring the material together in the following manner: I first dissolve the sulphate of iron in warm water, and then add the sulphuric acid and nitrate of potash. I mix the hole through the axis of the cylinder extending from end to end. These cylinders may conveniently be of a size to form a cartridge adapted to fit the blast-hole bored in the rock; or sometimes after molding the material I break it into fragments and use it in this state.

In order to protect the molded cylinders from moisture, I sometimes dip them into melted parafline, and I also in some cases envelop them in water-proof paper.

This explosive may be fired by means of a fuse in the same Way as gunpowder; or a dctonator or electric fuse may be employed.

In the manufacture of this explosive nitrate of potash is usually to be preferred to nitrate of soda, because of the deliquesccnt properties of the latter material; but where the explosive is to be used shortly after manufacture and can be careful] y protected from moisturc until it-is employed nitrateof soda may be used, and an economy may thereby be obtained. Other sulphates-as those of potash and soda--.-may be substituted for the sulphate of iron; but the latteris to be preferred, as it is cheaper than any sulphate which canbc substituted for it. Y

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent r 1. An explosive substantially as described and containing coal-oil and glycerine, together with nitrate of potash or so'da, a sulphate, and sulphuric acid. 2. An explosive consisting of nitrate of potash or soda, sulphuric acid, sulphate of iron or other sulphate, coal-oil, glycerine, carbon, and sulphur, as herein set forth.

LUCIEN GUSTAYE HEUSSCHEN. Witnessesi P. DE IVIONTRAVIL,

WILLIAM WESTLAKE. 

